EDUCATION Following my PMQ 3 weeks ago, regarding Relationship and Sex Education materials in our schools, I have now had my follow up meeting with Minister @NickGibbUK as promised by the PM. #doncasterisgreat #education 🧵1/4 https://t.co/Z61ghdKYmq
Asked by: Nick Fletcher (Conservative - Don Valley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether her Department plans to review the eligibility criteria for the Holiday Activities and Food programme.
Answered by Claire Coutinho - Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
The department is investing over ÂŁ200 million per year in free holiday club places for children from low-income families through the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme.
HAF supports disadvantaged children and their families with enriching activities, providing them with healthy food, helping them to learn new things, and improving socialisation.
The programme takes place all across England and has reached over 685,000 children, of which 475,000 children were receiving benefits-related free school meals (FSM), during last year’s summer holidays.
While the department asks local authorities to focus the majority of the funding on FSM children, local authorities have the flexibility to use up to 15% of their funding to target and support other children and families that align with the local authorities’ own priorities.
A BIG DAY TODAY Meetings today with the Prime Minister @RishiSunak and then with the Education Minister @NickGibbUK #doncasterisgreat #stronglocaleconomy https://t.co/ApE1rX7qwe
Asked by: Nick Fletcher (Conservative - Don Valley)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether educational materials produced by the campaign group Educate and Celebrate are approved for use in schools.
Answered by Nick Gibb
Schools are responsible for teaching relationships, sex and health education (RSHE), in line with the statutory guidance. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.
The Department does not endorse or promote resources to schools, including those produced by Educate and Celebrate.
The Department is very concerned by reports that inappropriate materials are being used to teach relationships and sex education and has brought forward the review of the RSHE statutory guidance as a result, including conducting a public consultation as soon as possible. The review will enable us to decide whether further action is needed to ensure that schools are fully transparent with their RSHE policies and what will be taught.
Schools must make sure all content they use is factual and age appropriate and should engage with parents, so they are aware of what their children are being taught. Schools should be engaging with parents proactively on how and what they are teaching children on these issues.
The Department is clear that parents have a right to view teaching materials and copyright law does not prevent a parent from viewing external resources.